The United States Completes Withdrawal Of Its Troops From Afghanistan And Ends A 20-Year War

The last American soldier left Afghanistan today, leaving the country in the hands of the Taliban after the longest war in American history, which ended in a humiliating defeat for the First Power and its Western allies.

“The last C-17 plane took off from Kabul airport on August 30” at 19:29 GMT, Gen. Kenneth McKenzie said at a press conference.

“Although the military evacuation has been completed, the diplomatic mission continues to secure more eligible US and Afghan citizens who wish to leave,” added the head of the US Central Command in charge of Afghanistan.

The soldier, quoted by AFP and ANSA news agencies, said that “since August 14, for a period of 18 days, planes from the United States and its allies have evacuated more than 123,000 civilians from the Hami Karzai International Airport “.

“Tonight’s withdrawal signifies both the end of the evacuation of military equipment and the end of the nearly 20-year mission that began in Afghanistan shortly after September 11,” added Kenneth McKenzie, who said that ‘it was “a mission that brought Osama bin Laden to justice as well as many al-Qaeda co-conspirators.”

He estimated that the cost of the operation “was 2,461 American soldiers and civilians killed and more than 20,000 wounded, unfortunately including the 13 Marines who died last week in a suicide bombing”.

The US ambassador to Afghanistan and the commander of US military forces on Afghan soil were the last to board the last evacuation flight from Kabul, the Pentagon announced on Monday.

“On board the last plane was General Chris Donahue,” commander of US military forces on Afghan soil, alongside Ambassador Ross Wilson, General Kenneth McKenzie said., commander of the United States Central Command on which Afghanistan depends.

The American holiday was celebrated by shootings by militants of the Taliban group in the capital Kabul, witnesses reported.

“The last American occupier pulled out (from Kabul airport) at 12 noon and our country has achieved full independence, praise and gratitude to God,” a Taliban spokesman said in turn. Twitter.

Democratic President Joe Biden, widely criticized in his country and much of the world for the American withdrawal, ruled out a few days ago recognizing the new Islamist regime in the short term.